The Remains of Summer) Chapter 1
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“Ms. Price, this is the contract for the staged death service you’ve booked
with us. The date of death is set for two weeks from now, on your wedding day.
The cause of death will be suicide by drowning. Please sign here to confirm.”
line.
Amelia Price nodded, her hand steady as she signed her name on the dotted
The city bustled around her as she walked home. Glancing up, she saw the
massive billboard replaying the video of Ethan Carter’s proposal. He knelt,
normally stoic, his hand trembling as he held the ring. Tears welled in his eyes
when she said “yes.”
Two girls beside Amelia sighed dreamily, clutching each other.“OMG,
Ethan is so in love with Amelia!”
“Total fairytale romance. They’ve been childhood sweethearts forever. He
confessed his love at seventeen, designed a diamond tiara for her twentieth,
calling her his princess. At twenty–three, when she was in that car crash, he
almost gave his own blood dry to save her. At twenty–six, the whole world
watched him propose. He’s the ultimate husband material!”
Amelia tuned them out, a bitter taste rising in her throat. Everyone envied
their love. Everyone believed Ethan was hopelessly devoted.
No one knew he’d been keeping a social media influencer, Chloe, in a luxury
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apartment for three years.
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The gut–wrenching realization that his late–night “business trips” were
spent entangled with Chloe felt like a knife twisting in her heart.
The explicit photos blurred in her vision. She remembered being fifteen, her
parents‘ divorce tearing her world apart. Ethan had stormed in, grabbed her hand,
and declared, “If they don’t want you, I do!”
From that day, he’d showered her with affection. He’d broken three ribs
fighting for her, remembered every period cramp, filled his social media with her
pictures. His buddies called him whipped.
When he slipped the engagement ring on her finger, tears streamed down his face as he begged her to love him forever, to never leave him. He swore he’d
go insane if she did.
He was the one who claimed he couldn’t live without her, yet he was the one
who betrayed her.
So, she would fake her death, disappear, change her name, and erase herself
from his life. He would never find her.
Wiping away a stray tear, she was about to leave when a sleek black SUV screeched to a halt. Ethan jumped out, rushing towards her. “Amelia! You were supposed to wait for me! I was coming to take you wedding dress shopping. Why
are you out here alone?”
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He took her hand, noticing how cold it was, and draped his jacket over her
shoulders.“Your hands are freezing! Why didn’t you wear a coat? Trying to worry
me to death?”
eyes
Amelia remained silent, staring at him. The concern in his seemed
genuine, which made his betrayal all the more confusing. How could one person
love two people at the same time?
He tightened the jacket around her, guiding her towards the car. The two
girls, startled by the commotion, turned and gasped. Their faces flushed as they
approached hesitantly.
“Excuse me, are you Amelia Price and Ethan Carter? We’re huge fans! Could
we maybe get a picture with you guys?”
Amelia hesitated, then nodded.
The girls excitedly sandwiched themselves between the couple, beaming at the camera. Ethan, usually camera–shy, obediently put his arm around Amelia
and smiled for the photo.
Gushing, the girls thanked them profusely, wishing them a lifetime of
happiness.
A lifetime?
Amelia glanced at Ethan. He caught her eye and flashed her a tender, loving
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smile. He seemed to echo the girls‘ sentiments.
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Only she knew their lifetime together was over.
At the bridal boutique, the staff rushed out as Amelia stepped out of the car, their voices tinged with envy.“Ms. Price, Mr. Carter has arranged for a thousand custom–designed wedding dresses. You can try on as many as you like.”
She looked at Ethan, who was engrossed in his phone, a hungry look in his gaze, he eyes – a look she’d only seen in those photos with Chloe. Sensing her pocketed his phone and apologized.“Amelia, so sorry, something urgent came up at work. The driver will stay with you. He’ll take you home after you’re done.”
He kissed her forehead and hurried into a waiting car, leaving her alone.
The boutique attendant approached tentatively. “Ms. Price, are you ready to
try on some dresses?”
Amelia shook her head.“No. I don’t want any of them.”
After all, there would only be a dead bride at their wedding.
